Clips have been devised for clamping or strangulating various organs or vessels. For example, a clip and applicator for applying the clip to a Fallopian tube is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,476. A clamp and applicator for applying the clamp to a bowel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,908. An example of a surgical clip applicator which incorporates a disposable cartridge is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,920.
Clips have been developed for use specifically in clamping or strangulating blood vessels in the human body. The clips may be fabricated from absorbable or nonabsorbable polymeric materials. Examples of such clips, and of instruments for applying such clips, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,270,745; 3,326,216; 3,867,944; 3,631,707; 3,439,523; 3,439,522; 3,363,628; and 3,312,216.
In addition, various novel ligating clips are disclosed in U.S. patent applications assigned to the assignee of the present invention; Ser. No. 49,376, filed June 18, 1979, now abandoned; Ser. No. 49,379, filed June 18, 1979, now abandoned; and Ser. No. 123,878, filed Feb. 25, 1980, now abandoned. The assignee of the present invention has also developed an improved clip applier instrument specifically adapted for applying one of these types of ligating clips. The improved applier is disclosed along with the clip in the above-identified U.S. patent application Ser. No. 49,379, now abandoned. The inventor of the present invention has determined that it would be desirable to provide that improved clip applier with the capability for applying ligating clips of different designs.